The Centre on Wednesday termed the Red Fort car blast a “heinous terror incident”, a label that it had so far shied away from despite the registration of a case under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA and handing over the probe to the NIA, which exclusively investigates terror attacks.
The cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemned the “senseless act of violence” and observed two minutes of silence as a mark of respect to the 13 people killed in the explosion on Monday.
“The country has witnessed a heinous terror incident, perpetrated by anti-national forces, through a car explosion near the Red Fort on the evening of 10 November 2025. The explosion resulted in multiple fatalities, and caused injuries to several others. The Cabinet pays its solemn respects to the victims of this senseless act of violence and conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” a statement issued after the cabinet meeting said.
“The Cabinet unequivocally condemns this dastardly and cowardly act that has led to the loss of innocent lives. The Cabinet reiterates India’s unwavering commitment to a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,”
it added.
The statement was, however, silent on any cross-border link.
According to the statement, the cabinet has directed that the probe be conducted with “utmost urgency and professionalism” so that the perpetrators, their collaborators, and their sponsors are identified and brought to justice. “The situation continues to be closely monitored at the highest levels of the government,” it said.
Security experts had on Tuesday questioned the government’s low-key response and its inability to label the high-intensity explosion a terror attack, even after Delhi police registered the case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after forensic evidence and intelligence inputs pointed to links with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
A former CBI director had linked the government’s reticence to its earlier claim that Operation Sindoor was still on. “It could be because people will demand retaliation,” he had said.
After the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the government had announced that any future act of terror on India would be considered an “act of war” against the country and would be responded to accordingly.
Attack flurry plan
Operatives of the “white-collar” terror module linked to the JeM had allegedly planned a series of attacks in high-footfall areas of the national capital and vital installations, including the Red Fort, sources familiar with the ongoing probe into the car blast said on Wednesday.
Sources in the NIA said suspects Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and Dr Umar Mohammed Nabi, who worked at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, had conducted multiple reconnaissances of the Red Fort and other areas earlier this year.
“It is clear from Muzammil’s interrogation and analysis of his mobile dump data that a plan was being hatched to carry out a series of attacks targeting malls and parks as well as vital installations. The recces were part of a larger conspiracy to target the Red Fort on Republic Day,” said an official.
Hours before the car explosion on Monday, security agencies had busted the “inter-state and transnational” terror module linked to the JeM and the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Among the arrested was Ganai, who was picked up from Faridabad, and Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, who was arrested from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Another doctor of Al-Falah University, Shaheen Sayeed, was taken into custody on Monday following the recovery of nearly 3,000kg of bomb-making material, suspected to be ammonium nitrate, from two rooms rented by Muzammil outside the varsity campus.
Umar, who was driving the car, died in the explosion.
Investigators said the doctors were suspected to be running a JeM terror module that amassed a huge amount of explosives and were planning big attacks in Delhi with the help of some radicalised doctors from Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.
“They were conspiring to incite communal tension by also targeting religious sites,” the official said.
Preliminary findings have revealed that they had earlier planned to strike a crowded place during Diwali, but it could not be carried out, sources said.
“Raids are on to identify and arrest other operatives. Security has been heightened across Delhi, especially near vital installations and parks and hospitals,” a security official attached to the home ministry said.
Investigators are also analysing Muzammil’s communications and digital footprint to know about funding for the module’s activities and the source from where they procured the explosives. They are also verifying if other suspects conducted similar recces or provided logistical support to the arrested suspects.
The police have collected mobile dump data, especially of Umar’s movement near the Red Fort on Monday, to ascertain if he was in touch with anyone just before the blast.
Officials privy to the probe said Umar drove from Faridabad to Delhi on Monday with a detonator and explosive materials in the car. An FSL team has collected Umar’s mother’s samples and sent them for analysis.
On Wednesday, investigators seized a red Ford EcoSport, which allegedly belonged to Umar, from near Khandawali village in Faridabad.
SIT formed
The NIA on Wednesday formed a 10-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the blast. The team led by additional director-general Vijay Sakhare includes an inspector-general, two deputy IGs, three superintendents of police, and deputy SP-level officers. It will investigate the Jaish terror module with multi-state links.